Evgeny Guryev: “We must popularize historical knowledge”
In February, the Patriot Media Group, together with the Federal News Agency, held press conferences on the topics “Economics of the war: the role of Lend-Lease in the victory of the USSR over Nazies” and “Exposing the myths of World War II”. Evgeny Guryev, candidate of history, associate professor of the SPbGASU Department of History and Philosophy, took part in both meetings.E.L. Zubarev, N.M. Mezhevich, E.P. Guriev, M.B. Mashkovtsev
In the course of the first meeting, which took place on February 13, historians, economists, political scientists and journalists spoke about the importance of the help of the Allies in the Anti-Hitler coalition in the framework of Lend-Lease for the USSR. At the event, the amounts of supplies, their importance and the political component, specific samples of weapons and equipment received by the Soviet Union were discussed. Besides this, they spoke about the attempts to rewrite the history of those events.
The press conference on “Exposing the myths of World War II” took place on February 27. The event was dedicated to the participation of European countries in the Great Patriotic War on the side of Nazi Germany. Under discussion were the problems of the pre-war history of Europe, which led to the commencement of World War II; the participation of European “volunteers” in the Hitlerite “campaign” against the USSR, and involvement of Soviet citizens in collaborationist groups. Once again, questions were raised about the attempts to rewrite history and ignore historical facts, about distortions of historical truth and issues in patriotic education and teaching of history.
E.P. Guriev
“The press conferences were held in a constructive manner. Such meetings are important for several reasons. Firstly, it is an opportunity to meet with colleagues from other universities, exchange views. Secondly, we had a chance to evaluate our knowledge, the correctness of our own judgments, and to learn something new. Thirdly, we could convey our thoughts to the public, to draw its attention to problems and give certain recommendations. We must popularize historical knowledge, about the Great Patriotic War, in particular; we must counter ignorance and distortion of historical truth,” Evgeny Guryev shared his impressions.
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